West Columbia's Luke Beasley slides home safely against Gaffney. Beasley went 4- for- 6 with a home run, three RBIs, and four runs. Having staved off and eliminating defending champion Sumter 10- 9 the previous day, West Columbia Post 79 found itself playing Gaffney Post 109 for the right to move on in the S.C. American Legion State Championship Tournament in Spartanburg July 31.

West Columbia's bats got off to an early start off Gaffney pitcher John Michaels. Luke Beasley opened the bottom half of the first inning with a double off the left field wall. Lucas Knight then followed with a double to right field scoring Beasley. Todd Joyner then ripped a single to right field scoring Knight. Corey Holmes followed with a double to left field. Cody Bessinger then stepped up with his own double to right center field that scored Joyner and Holmes and sent Gaffney coaches to the bullpen. Julian "Bubba" Wright entered the game and stopped the bleeding, but not before West Columbia took a 4- 0 lead.

Gaffney bounced back in the top of the second with Michael Wright's two- run blast over the left field fence off West Columbia starter Alex Nettles. West Columbia responded in the bottom half of the inning when Beasley scored on a Gaffney error. Holmes followed with his second double of the day scoring Knight. Bessinger then got his second double with a shot off the left field wall that scored Joyner and Holmes giving West Columbia an 8- 2 lead.

West Columbia second baseman Lucas Knight completes a double play against Gaffney. Knight finished 3- for- 3 with two RBIs and two runs. West Columbia added to its lead in the third inning when Zach Sharpe scored on another Gaffney error, and Beasley found home after Knight's sacrifice fly stretching the lead to 10- 2.

Gaffney kept fighting and added three more in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 10- 5. Jason Biershank ripped a single to left field scoring Michael Hughey, and McCray Norton's single to center field scored Michael Wright and Biershank.

West Columbia kept rolling through as Holmes smacked his third straight hit of the game, but this time it was a towering drive over the left field fence to make the score 11- 5.

West Columbia first baseman Corey Holmes snags a ground ball against Gaffney. Holmes got three hits including a home run to go with two RBIs and three runs. Gaffney got back in the game in the top of the fifth. Biershank's bases loaded single scored Bubba Wright. Ken Smoak then entered the game in relief for West Columbia. An error and a walk scored Michael Wright, then Ryan Westbrook ripped a line shot down the third base line scoring Biershank, Lee Gerwick, and Norton to tie the game at 11- 11.

West Columbia got the lead back in the bottom of the sixth inning off Gaffney reliever Ryan Westbrook. A bases loaded walk plated Holmes, and a sacrifice fly by Zach Hawley scored Bessinger to put West Columbia up 13- 11.

Gaffney then tied the game up again in the top of the eighth off West Columbia reliever Ryan Burt. Michael Wright's bases loaded single to left field scored Ryan Parsons and Bubba Wright.

West Columbia put the game away in the bottom of the eighth when a Gaffney error allowed Derek Cushman to score from second base. Then Beasley crushed a pitch that sailed over the left field wall scoring three to put the score at 17- 14. Stuart Pound then closed out Gaffney forcing a pop fly and then striking out two.

Beasley finished 4- for- 6 with a home run, three RBIs, and four runs. Bessinger was also 4- for- 6 with four RBIs and a run. Holmes got a home run and two doubles to go with two RBIs and three runs. Knight was a perfect 3- for- 3 with two RBIs and two runs.